MAPUTO, September 22, 2025 — Mozambican Ombudsman Isaque Chande has described the country’s justice challenges as “enormous and complex,” despite decades of reform since independence. He was delivering a keynote lecture at the opening of the Student Scientific Days at Maputo University of Pedagogical (UPM) on Monday, under the theme “50 Years of Independence: Lessons, Breaks and Challenges of the Education System and Administration of Justice.”
Chande traced the evolution of Mozambique’s judicial system, contrasting the colonial period marked by racial duality in law and systemic injustice with the post-independence era that sought to establish justice as a tool of liberation. He highlighted the importance of Law No. 12/78, Mozambique’s first judicial organization law, and the subsequent constitutional reforms of 1990 and 2004 that enshrined pluralism, fundamental rights, and participatory justice.
While acknowledging progress, the Ombudsman warned that significant hurdles persist, including:
- Weak judicial independence
- Lack of courts in several districts
- Erosion of institutional credibility and integrity
- Corruption within the justice sector
- Slow pace of judicial proceedings
He stressed the urgent need to expand judicial networks, modernize systems, combat corruption, and provide adequate resources to improve access and responsiveness. “The challenges are enormous and complex, but as the country’s economic conditions improve, we believe the system will consolidate and become more inclusive, faster and transparent,” Chande said.
UPM Vice-Chancellor Leonilda Sanveca commended the Ombudsman’s contribution, noting that the Student Scientific Days provide a platform for critical reflection, debate, and innovation. “The future of our homeland will depend, to a great extent, on the intellectual boldness and willingness of students to serve the common good,” she emphasized.
The event concluded with the Ombudsman receiving a certificate of participation from the Faculty of Social Sciences and Philosophy. The three-day Student Scientific Days are being held under the motto: “Social, Cultural and Political Dynamics: A Critical Look from Globalization and 50 Years of Mozambique’s Independence.”
